Reverb | September | Back to School

Sarah and Kim have been sharing Reverb prompts and Meredith and I are back in the saddle. Because writing can be fun. And we all have a lot to say. Join us.

Back to School: Back when you were in grade school, what were your favorite and least favorite subjects and why? Did you become what you dreamed you would be when you grew up? Or did your interests completely change?

Fall has not always been my favorite season. As in, it’s still not my favorite season. In Minnesota it means that Winter is Coming and that means feet of snow and arctic temperatures. Fall is nothing to look forward to. But when I was a pup, I LOVED back to school season. In fact, it’s safe to say that I still love it. Critter is going to start ECFE next week and even though it is literally a school district-sanctioned playgroup that you pay $$$ for, I am all Rah-rah-rah! School is coming!

Did I mention school is coming?

When I was little, I was nothing, if not inconsistent in my career ambitions. While I had one friend that answered “veterinarian” from 4th grade through senior year (she ended up becoming a physical therapist?) the same could not be said for me.

There was a brief point in high school where I was running around telling anyone who would listen that I was going to be an Oncologist. Based on the fact that I was phenomenally bad at chemistry and all math it’s safe to say that this was some sort of reaction to the fact that there was that one five month period between 8th and 9th grade where we went to like eight funerals. I had spent too much time as a first-hand hospice witness.

More realistically, I spent a decent part of my younger years wishing for nothing more than the chance to be a horseback rider. Where the earning potential was, I am still not entirely sure. But I was committed. I loved horses. I had an imaginary horse named Carmello. I had been on some trail rides. I had read well over 100 books (Saddle Club! Pony Pals! Thoroughbred!) about horses. I was gonna be great at it.

I can also say with a completely clear conscience that when I was in 5th grade, I decided I wanted to become the PTA president. While I think we all already know that this was probably the only thing that could be a step back from “horseback rider” in the income department, I can also say that this is the only dream that has stuck with me to this day.

I guess with all of that in mind, you could say I have not become what I dreamed of when I was growing up, if for no other reason than the fact that Critter is only 7 months old and my shot at PTA domination has yet to present itself. But as he gets older, that dream realized will come closer. Whether I achieve this great honor or cast my sights on something better is something we will know only then.